1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nail care apparatus, and more specifically to disposable polyurethane manicuring cylinders used with a motorized device that buff and polish nails and a method of manufacturing such discs.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known in the prior art that motorized fingernail grooming devices, preferably of the rotating kind, provide more uniform results in the filing, cleaning, buffing and polishing of nails than would manual devices. Manual nail grooming devices require greater amounts of time, effort and concentration by the user than motorized devices when attempting to groom fingernails. This is due to the user""s inability to apply equal pressure and speed when applying the device to fingernails. Often, the use of manual devices results in non-uniform quality in the care and appearance of nails, individually and collectively.
With respect to motorized nail grooming devices, the issue of consistent speed in applying care to fingernails has been resolved. However, the concern for equal pressure that is applied to all facets of each nail remains. Unfortunately, any practical means of providing self-manicures cannot eliminate this concern. Most manual and motorized devices employ a hard manicuring surface, usually made of sandpaper, emery, or stone. Due to the rigidity and abrasiveness of such surfaces, excessive pressure by the user of manual and motorized devices would damage the nail by unintentionally grinding away keratin. Such excessive qualities would prohibit users with weak or fragile finger and toenails to use this type of device.
Motorized devices which employ rotating discs or cylinders to manicure nails utilize sandpaper or emery, which are placed onto a spindle. As shown in FIG. 1, prior art indicates that such discs are manufactured by winding a pliable strip of sandpaper or emery 10 of varying thickness around a solid core cylinder 20. After hardening, the solid core cylinder is extracted, resulting in a hardened tube composed of sandpaper or emery. The tube of hardened sandpaper or emery is then cut into several discs of varying height 30. Since the sandpaper or emery is wrapped around the solid core in a spiral action, the step of cutting the formed cylinder results in manicuring discs that contain a seam 40. Often times, this seam, which can be present throughout the entire circumference of the disc depending upon the height, will not contain the abrasive surface qualities of the sandpaper or emery. As a result, uneven filing and polishing would occur despite the presence of equal and consistent pressure and speed in the application of the filing or polishing surface to the nail.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a nail care apparatus that can efficiently and uniformly buff and polish nails with a more malleable and consistent surface application.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a nail care apparatus that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a nail care apparatus that utilizes a rotating cylinder with a polyurethane core to buff and polish nails evenly and uniformly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a compressible manicuring cylinder such that excessive pressure in the application of the device to the nail will not result in unintended grinding away of keratin.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a manicuring cylinder without seams present on the surface of the cylinder.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means of manufacturing seamless and soft manicuring cylinder.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a nail care apparatus comprises a motor housing having two ends: a handle end and a rotating housing end. A replaceable tip is inserted into the rotating housing so that it rotates along with the housing end. A disposable manicuring cylinder that is hollow and is comprised of a soft polyurethane rubber is then secured onto the replaceable tip, allowing it to rotate along with the replaceable tip. A power supply is connected to the housing at the handle end and provides power to an electric motor inside the motor housing such that the operation of the motor causes rotational movement of the rotating housing.
According to one aspect of the preferred embodiment, sand powder mixed with an adhesive is placed onto the surface of the manicuring cylinder.
According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment, a sandpaper laminate is placed onto the surface of the manicuring cylinder.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide a further explanation of the invention as claimed.